1,800 Miles Through Europe: Jonathan’s Real-World Bike-Hook Review

Hymer Mercedes Sprinter rear door open with two bicycles mounted on Bike-Hook carriers

Monica Ganas23 aug. 2026

1,800 Miles Through Europe: Jonathan’s Real-World Bike-Hook Review

What happens when you replace a heavy towbar-mounted bike rack with two lightweight Bike-Hooks—and then drive 1,800 miles through Europe?

Jonathan Tomlinson of Campervan Journey has now completed his first major trip using the Bike-Hook system on his Hymer Mercedes Sprinter. After travelling down to the Alps and returning through Luxembourg and Belgium, Jonathan reported that Bike-Hook delivered exactly what he had hoped for.

This wasn’t a short drive around the block. It was a genuine, fully loaded campervan journey—and a proper real-world test.

Nearly 50 kg Removed from the Van

Before switching to Bike-Hook, Jonathan carried his bicycles using a conventional towbar-mounted bike rack.

Removing the towbar and the bulky rack reduced his travelling weight by almost 50 kg—approximately 110 pounds.

That is a substantial amount of equipment to carry before the bicycles are even loaded.

Bike-Hook takes a much simpler approach. Each bicycle is secured directly to an individual fork mount hanging from the top of the van’s rear door. There is no large rack frame, swing-away mechanism, loading platform, or towbar assembly extending behind the vehicle.

For Jonathan, the result was a much lighter and less complicated way to travel with two bicycles.

Rear-Door Access Without Unloading the Bikes

One of the greatest frustrations with many van bike racks is rear-door access.

Depending on the system, you may need to remove the bicycles, tilt the rack, operate a swing-away mechanism, or unload everything before opening the rear doors.

Jonathan’s photographs show one of Bike-Hook’s most useful advantages: the rear door can still be opened with the bicycles mounted.

This provides easier access to the campervan while travelling and eliminates the need for a large rack mechanism between you and the rear doors.

For overnight stops, campsites, loading, unloading, or simply reaching something stored in the back of the van, that convenience can make a real difference.

Mercedes Sprinter rear door bike rack Bike-Hook

Even with two bicycles mounted, Jonathan could still open the Hymer’s rear door without removing the bikes or unloading a bulky carrier.

A Shorter, Simpler Campervan Setup

Jonathan also appreciated the reduced overall length of the van.

Traditional towbar racks extend behind the vehicle, making the campervan longer and potentially more awkward when parking, manoeuvring through campsites, or travelling on narrow European roads.

Bike-Hook keeps the bicycles upright and close to the rear doors. There is no platform projecting several feet behind the van and no separate rack that must be removed and stored when it is not being used.

Once the bicycles are unloaded, the individual Bike-Hooks are small enough to be removed and stored inside the van without consuming valuable camping space.

Jonathan Also Noticed Better Fuel Economy

During the 1,800-mile journey, Jonathan reported an improvement of approximately 3 mpg compared with his previous experience.

He believes this may have resulted from removing the weight of the towbar and bike rack, reducing aerodynamic drag, or a combination of both.

Fuel consumption varies considerably between vehicles, routes, speeds, weather conditions, and driving styles, so individual results will differ. However, Jonathan’s observation highlights an important advantage of travelling with less unnecessary weight and bulky equipment.

Built for Real Campervan Travel

The purpose of Bike-Hook has always been simple: provide van owners with a lightweight, compact way to carry bicycles without drilling holes, installing a heavy permanent rack, or sacrificing normal use of their rear doors.

Jonathan’s 1,800-mile journey demonstrates how those advantages work in the real world:

Almost 50 kg of towbar and bike-rack weight removed
Two bicycles carried securely on the Hymer Sprinter
Rear-door access retained
Less length added behind the campervan
No bulky rack to remove and store
A simpler setup throughout the journey
A customer-reported improvement in fuel economy

Bike-Hook V3.0 for Transit Sprinter Crafter

Jonathan’s Verdict After 1,800 Miles

After returning from the Alps, Jonathan said the Bike-Hook system delivered everything he had hoped for.

That kind of feedback means a great deal to us. Bike-Hook was created for people who want to carry their bicycles without turning the back of their van into a complicated engineering project.

Jonathan didn’t just install the system and photograph it in his driveway. He loaded two bicycles, travelled 1,800 miles through Europe, lived with the system throughout the journey, and came home with a clear verdict:

Bike-Hook worked.